


Heart Editor

by bittersweetwhimsy



Series: no longer a wip (???) [2]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-14
Updated: 2018-07-14
Packaged: 2019-06-10 13:29:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15292554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bittersweetwhimsy/pseuds/bittersweetwhimsy
Summary: Minghao doesn't believe in love. To him love is a scam, a fraud. Yet as watches others around him, its hard to say that love isn't real.





	Heart Editor

**Author's Note:**

> this was a story i had lined out for the 97z fic fest a couple of months ago, but i couldn't figure out how to get it where i wanted it to be. but i figured this would still be fine to post now

Love is kind. Love is strong. Love is unyielding. These are things he’s been taught to ingrain into his heart and soul.

A couple in front of him giggle. The two girls are loudly whispering about sweets they want to eat on their date. Another pair at the very front of the bus are very much a new couple, from the way they stand close enough but their faces are red. Their hands fiddle nervously with the hems of their clothes. He watches them closely for a few minutes. The fairy eared boy grabs a pen from his pocket. He starts scribbling onto his hand. He closes his hand and blows on it.

The girl’s fingers creep along the hem of the boy’s sleeve. Their fingers interlock. Both stare in shock at each other, before the bashful grins reveal their happiness.

The fairy eared boy smiles at their interaction. The bus door closes. The scenery passing past the windows seem oddly similar to him. A short person stands next to a tree twiddling his thumbs. The person looks up with a face of disbelief. He sinks down into his seat.  He totally just missed his bus stop. His phone buzzes. The boy hesitatingly opens the message.

Xu Minghao. What the fuck. I’m going to be at the Lotteria in between the two stops.

Minghao sighs. Jihoon had used his Chinese name. He hits the stop button. As he exits the bus, his shoulder gets slammed by another pair of shoulders. Normally he would ask the other person to apologize, but Jihoon’s fury is fearsome among their high temper group. He quickly rushes out a sorry and runs to the nearest Lotteria in between the two stops. He takes a glance back. That man was definitely taller than him.

 

Minghao busts into the burger joint, “Hyung! Sorry!”

Jihoon takes a sip of his cola, “Were you playing cupid again?”

“No.” The elder cocks an eyebrow. “Okay fine I did.” Minghao relents. He looks at the remaining two burgers and set of fries. “How long is it going to take for you to finish this?”

“Go order.” The younger sighs. “I don’t want to see your pen out either.”

“What if I decide to work on some sketches?”

“You know what I mean. Now get.” Jihoon gives a feint kick. Minghao giggles as he walks toward the register.

There are four people in front of him. Minghao fishes out his earbuds from his pocket. He focuses on untangling to avoid doing anything unnecessary. He glances at the menu before continuing selecting which playlist he wants. He approaches the cashier. Her greet-the-customer face is on full display while Minghao orders a lemonade and a burger. As she rings him up, he can feel his fingers twitch for his pen. He pulls out his wallet with his free hand.

He pays the cashier. For a second he catches two lines from her, “ _I wonder if Alice will be home when I get back. Alice is always the cutest when she passes out with the book on her face._ ” He can see the image of a tall girl with her head rested backwards, her nose in an open book, hands resting on her stomach. Minghao leaves the pen in the pocket. She seems just fine with her relationship.

“Here’s your card back.”

“Alice seems very cute.” Crap. Why doesn’t he have a filter for strangers and their cute moments? The cashier blinks at him slightly confused. He walks away quickly after getting his card back.

There’s still one burger and set of fries left on the tray when he returns. Jihoon simply cocks an eyebrow at the reflection of Minghao. The latter sighs and nods. “What’s the number?”

“234.” Jihoon hops off the stool.

 

The two leave the fast food joint. The smaller man pulls up his hood, “Do you want to go to my studio?”

“What’s on today’s playlist?”

Jihoon smirks, “Your favorite, teen angst.”

“Hyung you’re probably one of the worst people I know along with Wonwoo hyung.” The taller boy exasperates. The elder puts on his headphones, humming.

Their steps match to the beat of Jihoon’s music.

 

“Seokmin-ah!” Minghao waves over a boy nearly his height.

Seokmin looks at the sign of the area Minghao is in, “Oh, I didn’t think you were into poetry.”

“I’m always looking for ways to broaden my horizons.” Minghao rubs the back of his neck. “Right now, I’m reading American poetry.”

“Hmm… What’s it about?”

“A road less taken.” Seokmin stands there. Minghao stares back blankly. “Ah, the poet is just talking about choices that people would take less.”

“That’s it?”

 “That’s the gist of it, yes.”

“Yup, this is why I’m not into poetry.” The two chuckles. “Want to go get coffee?”

“No.” The younger pouts.

“But you’re in a bookstore. Getting coffee is pretty normal.”

“Coffeeshops and tea houses are too dramatic for me.”

“Are you sure you’re not Jihoon?” Seokmin teases.

“I guess, he has been rubbing off on me a bit.” A lie. Minghao has never been fond of those ideal romantic places unless finals are around the corner. Too many couples hang out there. Flower shops? Out of the question. The weeks surrounding Valentine’s day and White Day, makes him want to vomit. “How about getting fish skewers?”

“Sounds good.”

Minghao looks over his shoulder as the two exit the bookstore. There’s a tall man reading in the cooking section. Minghao squints a bit. He fishes out the pen that’s in his coat pocket. If he takes a step closer maybe he can read him.

“Myungho?”

Minghao turns back to his companion, “Oh sorry! I got distracted. Let’s go!” The pen slips back into his pocket. He grabs Seokmin’s arm as they run into the streets.

 

Of course. He’s running late to class. The class that requires attendance. He wonders why his morning class has to be the one that required attendance for the umpteenth time. Minghao pushes through the 9:10 am crowd. Someone pushes against Minghao roughly, nearly pushing him to the ground. He catches a glimpse of the suspect. It’s a ridiculously tall- WAIT. That back figure is familiar. It’s the same guy that shoved his shoulder when he was running late to meet Jihoon. Of course, it would be him again when he’s running late. If he could, he would throw some very strong vulgar words but as last time he has somewhere to be.

 

“Hyung you won’t believe it. I got shoved again by the same figure as I was running late.” Minghao throws himself down on the cement floor. Jihoon doesn’t respond. Minghao watches Jihoon paint the sounds from the music playing in the latter’s studio. He rests his chin on his hand. The elder stops painting when he spies the hand.

“Myungho, hand.” Jihoon sticks a hand out. Minghao sighs, but gives his hand. Jihoon examines the writings. “Minghao don’t you ever get tired of helping out strangers?”

“No. They deserve a chance of a good relationship.”

“What about you?”

“It’s enough if I can bring a small amount of happiness into someone’s life.”

“Hey, Cupid will you start thinking about yourself sometime?” Minghao shakes his head. The elder lets go of his hand with a sigh. “It would honestly do you good, to tell Jisoo hyung.” Jihoon leans against the wall.

“Why?”

“He would drill into your thick skull, that you need to start thinking about your own happiness you twat.”

“Don’t you do that enough hyung?”

“Clearly since childhood isn’t enough for you.” Jihoon can even make the paint brush in his hand threatening. He sighs, “Especially after that incident.”

“It’s fine. My parents are happy now.”

“You still have no idea how to correct that rewrite.”

“No. Grandma said this is just one of those things that I’ll have to remember as to why I’m not allowed to do that.” Minghao bitterly laughs, “The heart is stronger than my abilities anyways.”

“Most people consider that a good thing.” A knock on the door interrupts them. Jihoon doesn’t look surprised at the intrusion. “Come in.” A hand snakes in first, following with the familiar twinkling eyes of a pale peach haired man.

Minghao narrows his eyes at Jihoon. “Hyung did you set me up?”

“No. Jisoo hyung wanted to take photos of my studio for his project.”

Minghao sighs, taking the bait, “What kind of project?”

“A look into the mind of Lee Jihoon.”

“Jihoon is your subject? The man who hates sharing things about himself?”

Jisoo lets out a soft laugh, “No, I’m actually just taking photos of my friends’ workspace and how their personality can be displayed through just the organization.” His fingers play with the lens. “Since it’s not really an interview, Jihoon was cool with it.”

“Who else is part of your project?”

“A few other friends you don’t know,” The eldest hums. “Okay Jihoon which part of the studio do you want me to start with first?”

 

 

“Myungho!”

“Hey Seokmin.” He looks up from his laptop, “What are you doing here?”

“What I can’t visit the library?” Seokmin takes a seat next to him.

Minghao judges his friend, closing the current tab, “You don’t have any classes on this side of campus. What do you need?”

“I want you to meet one of my very good friends this weekend.”

“Why?”

“It would just be really nice if my two closest friends would be friends with each other.” Seokmin nods, as if agreeing with himself.

“And you couldn’t just text me to meet up?”

“I wanted to make sure you didn’t come up with an excuse to escape this time.” The usually innocent smile reveals his true intention, “This time you’re meeting him without fail.”

 

If he wasn’t in front of Seokmin, Minghao would definitely be throwing his tea all over the person in front of him.

“This is Mingyu. Mingyu, this is Myungho.” Seokmin, ever the gracious sunshine angel, beams at his two friends. Minghao attempts to put on his best smile-for-the-customer smile.

“Nice to meet you, Mingyu.” He sticks his hand out.

“Nice to meet you too.” Mingyu returns the handshake with a strong grip. Minghao grips the hand harder.

“I’m going to go to the restroom real quick and then order some food.” Seokmin zips from the table. As soon as the smiling man leaves, the customer smile turn into a smile of disdain.

“So, you’re the punk that keeps running into me.” His grip tightens even more causing the taller man to wince.

“You’re the one that glares at me even though I didn’t know you till now.” Mingyu is a step behind in processing “WAIT. Running into you when?!”

“You’ve ran into me twice. How can you not remember?”

The other man blushes slightly, “I… run into a lot of people when I’m in a hurry.”

Minghao angrily slurps down his cooled tea. Just as he’s about to slam down his cup, he catches a glimpse of someone’s heart shaking. He looks around for the source of the quivering. In the corner of the café, there’s a couple on the edge of tears. His fingers fumble around in his pocket for his pen. Maybe he can make this a bit easier for both of them but he needs to get closer first.

“Are you listening to me?” Mingyu taps his arm.

Minghao turns back to Mingyu, “Sorry. I need to go order another drink. Do you want anything?” He needs to get over there quick. He nods blankly when he no longer hears Mingyu’s voice.

The couple are nearing the climax of their attempted break up. Minghao’s long legs carry him to the sugar table. Immediately he starts dumping sugar into his empty cup, but keeps his writing hand ready. His eyes dart between the couples’ hearts. He bites his lower lip. This is a much bigger problem than he should get involved in but… they still want to be together. His pen starts to scribble furiously on his skin. An impatient puff of air covers his hand.

“Is it possible to try for another month? I love you so much. I don’t want things to end like this between us.” Her voice warbles a bit. “I just don’t understand why you want to break up now.”

A hand claps his back, breaking his concentration on the couple, “Myungho! Did you order yet?”

“Hm? Not yet. I… forgot Mingyu’s order and feel awkward asking him.”

“I’ll go ask for you!”

Minghao turns back to the couple.

“It’s that meeting your family has me on edge, and I feel like I would disappoint their expectations.”

“So, you want to break up because meeting them scares you?” The man nods. She takes a deep breath “Jaepil, it’ll be okay. We can walk out together the moment my parents say something horrible about you. You’re the best man I’ve ever met.”

He replies meekly, “But they’re your family, Shiva.”

“My family needs to understand you’re a wonderful person too, Jae. I won’t let them spew horrible things without getting to know you.” A light has returned to the woman’s eyes.

“Don’t you think less of me for trying to break up with you right before meeting your family?”

 Seokmin’s voice brings him back, “Myungho! It’s a chai latte with extra cinnamon and whip cream.”

 

“Really a chai latte?” Mingyu frowns at the judgement in that sentence.

“They’re good and soothing.”

“Now, now. Myungho, you like chai lattes too.” Seokmin attempts to placate the two.

“Hypocrite!” “But he puts too much extra junk into them!”

“Excuse me?!” Mingyu places his hand to his chest, appalled. “Seokmiiiin.” He whines.

The man simply smiles and pats the youngest’s head, “Myungho, you promised to be good. This means getting to know Mingyu better.”

“Even though the way he drinks chai latte is wrong.”

“Are you five?! I’m right here!”

“Pretty sure you are, adding sweeteners to your chai.” Minghao crosses his arms, attempting to burn Mingyu with his nonexistent heat vision. This meeting is a mistake. But for Seokmin he’ll do his best to befriend this man child.

 

Over the next few weeks, Minghao keeps seeing Mingyu from the corner of his eye. Is Mingyu stalking him? He’s going to kill Seokmin, if he gave Mingyu his schedule. But the taller boy never actively seeks him out it feels like he just watches from a distance. He files away this info, as seeing Mingyu is easy to scare.

Finally, after his pottery class he sneaks up behind his stalker. Mingyu shrieks, giving Minghao a sweet satisfying taste of revenge.

 

 

The two are actively trying not to engage in conversation, or it’s just Minghao actively not trying to get involved with whatever Mingyu is doing. Which is currently staring. Mingyu hasn’t stopped staring at him since he entered the room. Hopefully Jihoon shows up soon. “Is there something you want from me besides to ruin my chai latte?”

“I’m not obsessed with chai lattes,” The taller man mutters. “That besides, the point. Why are you so cynical when it comes to your friends’ relationships?”

“That’s not any of your business.”

“It is because Seokmin is my friend too.” Mingyu grips his arm, “You go all soft whenever you see other couples you don’t even know.”

“I go what?”

“Soft and then start taking notes.”

Minghao hisses, “Mingyu, I could ruin your life.” He really does need to start being more careful around Mingyu. Who knew that the giant was that observant?

“You already have.” The two blink at the outburst. Mingyu slaps his hands over his mouths. Minghao swears if Jihoon was around, that small man would be cackling.

“Excuse me?” Mingyu’s eyes dart toward the exit. “Don’t even think about running.” Minghao latches onto an arm.

The giant takes a deep breath, “I don’t mean it like that… I think.” Minghao stares the taller man, before gripping the arm tightly.

“Kim Mingyu explain yourself now before I dump this chai latte at you.”

Mingyu rubs the back of his neck, “You... um… ruin my life.” The younger blinks dumbly and starts to turn away. “You ruin my life because all I can think about is you! I just like being near you!” The chai latte spills all over the floor. Minghao’s feet dash out of the room. “Wait! Myungho!” He attempts to follow but slips on the plastic cup.

 

Minghao runs until he collapses. He can’t tell if its sweat or tears running down his face. It’s salty. Maybe it is tears. Mingyu can’t fall in love with him. He can’t. He absolutely can’t. Mingyu still has the rose-tinted lenses of sweet romance. But Minghao has completely fallen for him.

Because for Minghao, love is weak. Love is fragile. Love is not real. Anyone in his family fails to have a supportive romantic love. They all ended in divorce.

 

Jihoon finds him curled up under the bushes of the math building.

“Myungho? Hey. Hey Cupid. Wake up.” He shakes the younger boy. The younger swats away the hand.  Jihoon sighs and picks up an arm. With his other hand, he dials someone. “Hey I found him. Can you help me carry him back? He’s completely out cold. Alcohol?” Jihoon takes a sniff. “None. Are you done interrogating me?” In his exasperation, Jihoon drops the arm. “YES. INTERROGATION. Lee Seokmin, get your lame mathematical butt here now. It’s 4 am. I know you’re in your building.” 

 

Minghao wakes up to Seokmin’s sleep talking. Seokmin? He checks his surroundings. The bedsheets aren’t the lilac ones that used be his mom’s, instead they’re pink with cherry blossoms. There’s a dresser with glow in the dark stickers. The stickers that he used to cheer up Seokmin when his last relationship ended. Minghao is most definitely in Seokmin’s and Seungkwan’s apartment. His mind remembers running through campus last night, but Seokmin wasn’t around.

He shakes the sleep talker, “Seokseok, why am I here?”

The person in question rubs his eyes, “You’re awake now? Are you feeling better?”

“Seokmiiin.”

“Jihoon hyung demanded that I bring you to my place since I lived closer to campus than either of you.” Seokmin grabs the blanket to cover himself.

“Why did he do that?”

“You don’t remember? Jihoon hyung found you under the bushes by the math building.” Seokmin rolls to his side to face his bed mate.

“Oh my god.” Minghao sinks his face into the pillow. “What time did he find me?” The muffled question comes out from the pillow.

“4 am.”

“Seokmin you’re truly an angel. What did I do to deserve you?” His eyes peek over the pillow.

Seokmin moves his head so it can rest on his arm. “Do you want to tell me how you ended up there? You don’t reek of alcohol, so what happened?” Suddenly his eyes enlarge, “Don’t tell me if you did drugs?! You promised we could do it together if you ever caved!”

“No! Oh my god! Of all things!” Minghao sinks his head into the pillow.

Seokmin scrambles to tickle the younger. “Tell me your reason or die by tickles.”

Minghao feebly attempts to defend himself. Even though Seokmin is the tickler, he starts laughing first. His infectious dad laugh causes Minghao to start laughing along. There’s banging on the wall next to them. The two cover their mouths, still loudly giggling, so Seungkwan somehow can return to sleeping.

“But really, what’s bugging you.” Seokmin pokes him.

“It’s kind of stupid really.”

“Stupider than my idea of thinking you were on drugs?”

“Yes.”

“Try me.”

He takes a deep breath, “I might be in love.”

“With Mingyu right?” Minghao clamors over to stuff the other’s face with the pillow. “Why? Why? I’m right though!”

“I don’t want you to be!”

“Then that’s something you need to figure out for yourself!”

“QUIET!” Seungkwan roars from the room next door.

 

Minghao stares at his burnt eggs. “If you’re not hungry hand them over.” Hansol reaches out for Minghao’s plate, only for his hand to be slapped away.

“Hansol! Let him take his time with it!” Seungkwan scolds.

“But he’s been staring at it for the past ten minutes.”

“It’s been a rough evening for him.”

“Hyung were you drinking on a Wednesday night?” Hansol frowns.

If he had to explain what he was really doing would be ten times more troublesome. “Yeah something like that.”

“You should definitely drink more water hyung that way you’re so washed out in the mornings.” He still manages to swipe a bite of eggs. “Where’s Seokmin hyung?”

“He left for the class he t.a.s for.” Seungkwan supplies. “C’mon we need to get going too. Myungho lock the door when you go.” He drags Hansol out the apartment.

Being in the same room as those two is super exhausting. Their love for others is too loud. Their hearts never stop fluttering pages about each other and their friends.

 

Being in coffee shops really are bad for him. Minghao stares at his hand. He didn’t mean to meddle so much. Yet his skin is covered with writings. Jihoon is probably going to throw a fit.

 

 

“Myungho, stop avoiding me.” An arm stops him from escaping. “It’s been weeks since you ran away.”

An outrageous Minghao turns to the owner of the arm, “Did you just kabedon me?”

Mingyu’s face turns pink, “I-I didn’t mean to. I just want an explanation.”

“What as if the words ‘you make my life a mess’, makes me want to be near you?” He crosses his arms.

“B-but it’s true. Ever since I first saw you, I can’t stop thinking about you! It’s made studying difficult!”

“Get a better focus on your studies then, I’m not responsible for that. If you don’t mind I have somewhere else to be.” He ducks under Mingyu’s arm.             

 

 

 

“I-I… don’t think anyone other than Jihoon knows about my secret.” He takes a breath, “I have the ability to change other’s hearts.” He flinches. But there’s silence. One eye peeks open. Mingyu is staring shell-shocked. “Mingyu? You can start laughing.”

“H-how am I supposed to laugh at something like that?!” “You basically just told me you can do actual magic like in fairy tales!”

 

 

“As a kid I tried to prevent my parents from breaking up. I would scratch out parts and rewrite it to make their relationship happier.” A dry laugh escapes. “Of course, it backfires.” He covers his eyes, “Their relationship deteriorated faster than the first time it fell apart… I eventually went back under my grandfather’s urging and went back to fix what I had done. It was too late.” A hand wipes the tears running down Minghao’s cheek. It’s not his own hand. The fingers are much gentler stroking away the tears gathering at the edge of his eye.

 Mingyu’s hand strokes his other hand. “It’s okay. It’s not your fault.”

Minghao stares. Maybe he wouldn’t be so jaded about love had nine years old him met Mingyu. The taller wraps him in his arms and pats his back. It’s comforting. He puts his face in the crook of Mingyu’s neck. The cardigan absorbs his snot and tears.  

“Sorry. I ruined your cardigan.”

“I can just wash it.”

 

 

 

 

“Would you be willing to try?”

Minghao plays with his hoodie strings, “…I don’t know. What if I hurt you in the end?”

“That’s okay. We grow after being hurt. Humans are good at adapting. Isn’t that what they teach in biology?”

“Evolution.”

“Huh?”

“Humans adapting is in evolution.”

“Enouuugh. I don’t want to even think about evolution,” Mingyu whines. “I would rather us just take things slowly at our pace.” He places a kiss atop Minghao’s head.

“That’s fine with me.”


End file.
